1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a photo-identification card, and more specifically to such a card comprising a plastic laminate encasing sheet film that can be photographically exposed and processed in the laminate.
2. Brief Description of the Prior Art
Identification cards have become very popular in recent years. Retail outlets use them for charging merchandise, governmental agencies for licenses, and businesses for entrance passes. Extensive use is not surprising when the many advantages of the cards are considered. They are thin, substantially flat, and relatively stiff, making them easy to handle and carry. They typically support information identifying the bearer, the issuer and the subject matter to which the card pertains, in a format that discourages forgeries. In many cases the information is both visibly recognizable and machine readable. An embossed card with a magnetic stripe, for example, can be used to withdraw cash from a particular bank account through an unattended dispensing machine, or to print information onto a charge slip under a pressure plate.
Although identification cards take a number of popular forms, there are two of particular interest in connection with the present invention. The first comprises a laminate, typically three layers, of an embossable polymeric material, such as a rigid vinyl. Polyvinyl chloride, or a copolymer of polyvinyl chloride and polyvinyl acetate, are typical examples. The central layers of the laminate are opaque and carry visible information, while the outer layers are transparent, may be embossed, may support a magnetic stripe, and provide security against tampering with the information carried by the central layers. Such a card can be made essentially tamperproof by fusing the respective layers together under suitable heat and pressure to melt the respective plastic layers together. Ultrasonic or dielectric sealers frequently are used to create a weld that cannot be broken without destroying the card. There are disadvantages to such cards, however. Ultrasonic and dielectric sealing generally require sophisticated equipment that cannot be provided easily to the numerous locations desirable for interfacing with the intended issuers of the cards. This, in turn makes it difficult to employ photographs with the cards.
The other type, frequently referred to as a photo-identification card, includes a picture of the intended bearer encased in a plastic laminate along with other information. In this case, the cards are usually supplied in pieces which are assembled on location, after the photograph is taken, and laminated with transparent plastic panels to discourage tampering. In the more convenient products, the photograph is of the instant-processing type, so there is minimal delay between taking the photograph and delivering the finished card to the user. Such cards have the advantage of the photograph, but many are not as secure against forgeries compared to the first-mentioned type of card. This disadvantage results most probably from the requirement of assembly on location, where controls are subject to variance, and the equipment is not sufficiently sophisticated to provide plastic-to-plastic bonding between the respective layers.
These and other problems that are alleviated by the present invention will become more apparent from an examination of the prior art in connection with the following description.